Transfer News: Liverpool to Reject $278m Bid for Salah, as City and United Battle for Midfielder

With both first leg of the Champions League semifinals now in the history books, the focus turns once again onto the Premier League this weekend.

As usual, however, transfer rumors provide the backdrop to the action on the pitch, so allow Newsweek to guide you through all the news and gossip in the Premier League mercato.

Let’s start with Liverpool, who it appears will have to fight tooth and nail to keep hold of Mohamed Salah in the summer. The Egyptian continued his extraordinary season by scoring twice in the Reds’ 5-2 demolition of Roma on Tuesday, bringing his goal tally in all competitions to 43.

That has generated quite a bit of interest in Madrid, with Real reportedly considering a summer bid for Salah, who they might well face in the Champions League final next month.

According to the Daily Mail, however, Liverpool have already told the Spanish giants that not even a bid in the region of $278 million would be enough to lure the Egyptian away from Anfield.

Salah, however, is not the only Premier League star on Real Madrid’s radar, with the Manchester Evening News reporting the 12-time European Cup winners are also monitoring Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling.

The prospect of Manchester City allowing any of the trio to leave is as remote as the thought of Pep Guardiola not splashing around $70 million on a midfielder this summer.

The latest candidate for that particular role appears to be Napoli’s midfielder Jorginho but, according to the Daily Mirror, City will have to go toe-to-toe with Manchester United if they are to land the Brazilian-born Italy international.

A midfielder tops the list of Jose Mourinho’s priorities, given Michael Carrick will retire at the end of the season and Marouane Fellaini could soon be taking his sharp elbows elsewhere this summer.

It is therefore no surprise to see United linked not only with Jorginho but also with Radja Nainggolan. According to the Daily Mail, however, United face competition from Chelsea and Arsenal in the race to sign the Roma midfielder.

The Times suggests United are also keeping tabs on Fulham teenage sensation Ryan Sessegnon, while The Sun claims Mourinho is eager to bring Jonny Evans back to Old Trafford this summer by spending as little as possible on the Norther Irishman—around $4.2 million.

Elsewhere in the British capital, The Telegraph believes Chelsea are hoping a summer merry-go-round of managers will help them find a relatively cheap replacement for Antonio Conte.

The Telegraph also reports that Arsene Wenger is determined to manage another top European club once he leaves Arsenal at the end of the season.

According to the Daily Mirror, the Frenchman has indicated it would be “even better” if a former Arsenal player replaced him in the Emirates’ dugout.

Patrick Vieira and Mikel Arteta would both fit the description and The Times reports the former would be happy to return to North London, given the opportunity.

The prospect of Vieira replacing Wenger might be a tad far-fetched given the former’s lack of experience at the top level, but it doesn’t sound as absurd as the news that, according to The Sun, Glasgow Rangers reportedly want Steven Gerrard to be their new manager.